Sending You Prayers

Day 4 of My Favorite Things Camp Create challenge series is "Magnificent Masking." I had seen a technique demonstrated by Nichol Magouirk, where she inked a panel with Distress ink, and then inked over it again (with the same color) through a stencil to create a tone-on-tone background. I decided to try that with MFT's "Petal Circles" stencil (apparently discontinued).

I cut a piece of white cardstock to 4x5.25" for my panel. I then inked it in Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers, and Shaded Lilac Distress inks. I really like the green/purple color combination, and added the Peacock Feathers to prevent the Cracked Pistachio & Shaded Lilac from making mud where they would overlap.

When I was inking, to get a smooth blend, I added a lot of ink to the cardstock. After I'd gotten the green & blue rather dark, I happened to think that I might be ruining my panel by going too dark, too fast. But I decided to press on and finish inking. I figured, if I had ruined it, all I would waste by proceeding was a bit more ink and some time. So I finished inking, and then taped the stencil over the panel. I inked through the stencil with the same colors. When I'd finished, I lifted one corner of the stencil to take a peek and see if the color value difference was great enough. And it had worked! I had the two-tone effect I'd been going for. Whew! I did add a little more Shaded Lilac over that area to deepen the design color, and removed the stencil.

For the greeting, I stamped the "Sending you" & "prayers" from Hero Arts' "Prayers" set onto a scrap of mint cardstock with Versamark ink. I heat embossed it with Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder, and cut it into a strip. I rounded both right corners with my 1/4" Corner Chomper, and adhered it to my background panel.

I decided my card needed a little something extra, so I stamped one of the butterflies from Our Daily Bread Designs' "Trois Jolies Papillons" set onto vellum with Versamark, and heat embossed that with Liquid Platinum as well. I die cut it with the coordinating die, and used a little Perfect Paper Adhesive on the body to glue it in place, overlapping the greeting strip. Finally, I matted the panel with a piece of cream cardstock, and adhered it to a white A2 card base.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

a2z Scrapbooking's July Challenge: "Anything Goes"
Pile It On Challenge #112: "Use Your Favorite Colors"
Virginia's View Challenge #22: "All About Colors"

Hi

The theme for Day 1 of My Favorite Things' Camp Create (Session 2) is "Fantastic Foiling." While foiling is not necessary to participate (the challenge is to use something shiny), I decided to get out my too-little-used Minc Mini machine and do some foiling!

For my design, I used Sketch #SC588 from Splitcoaststampers. I first ran a sheet of 6x6" Minc star patterned paper through my Minc Mini with some red foil. I cut that down to 4.25x5.5". I also die cut one of the "hi" dies from MFT's "Happy Hellos" set from toner cardstock, and foiled that with gold.

I cut a piece of patterned paper from Echo Park's "Jack & Jill" 6x6" pad to 1-7/8" square, and cut that in half diagonally for the piece in the lower left corner. I also cut four 1/8" wide strips: 2 from blue cardstock & 2 from gold foil cardstock. I glued one strip of each color to my card front, butted up against the patterned paper triangle. I cut the second piece of patterned paper to fit in the remaining space, and glued the other 2 strips along that.

After die cutting a circle from light blue cardstock using a Spellbinders "Standard Circles SM" die, I used the same die as a template to trace a circle on a piece of dark blue cardstock. I cut that out with scissors, to create a narrow mat around the smaller circle. Then I glued both circles together, and glued my "hi" letters in place. Finally, I adhered that to my card front, and mounted the panel to a white A2 card base. I will send this card in my next package to Send a Smile 4 Kids.

You Make Life Fabulous

My Favorite Things is having the second session of their Camp Create this week. Day 2's theme was "Coloring." Just color--anything. Their demonstration video showed coloring on kraft cardstock with colored pencils. Though it is not necessary to color on kraft, I have never really done this, so I decided to give it a try.

I used the "Simply Fabulous Sayings" stamp set from MFT, and paired it with Clearly Besotted's "Elegant Butterflies" stamp set. After cutting a 4.25x5.5" piece of kraft cardstock, I determined the position & width of my butterfly section. I lightly ruled lines with a pencil to mark the boundaries of the strip, and used those as a guide for where to stamp my greeting. After stamping that in Versamark ink, I heat embossed it with Ranger Super Fine Detail White embossing powder.

I next created masks for the 3 butterflies I was going to use. Then I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink to stamp the first butterfly on my card front, which I wanted to "break out" of the border of my strip, and kind of hug the greeting. After I stamped that butterfly, I masked the edges of my strip with painter's tape. I masked the main butterfly, and then stamped the rest of the butterflies, masking them as I went to keep my card one-layer.

When I finished stamping my butterflies, I removed the masking, and colored them in with Prismacolor colored pencils. I am still amazed at the vibrancy of color I got, despite coloring on a kraft surface! After I colored them all, I used a black marker to draw a line on either side of my butterfly section, just to provide some definition. I felt the main butterfly got a bit lost in the design. So I ended up coating it with my clear Wink of Stella pen. I think if I were to do this card again, I would color that butterfly in different colors than the others. But I think the shimmer provides enough emphasis. (I just wish it could show up better in photos!) I also colored in the dots on some of the butterflies' wings with a white gel pen, to tie that in with the white greeting. Finally, I adhered my panel to a white A2 card base.

I'm also entering my card in Virginia's View Challenge #22: "All About Colors."

You're So Sweet!

The current Lawnscaping challenge is a mood board inspiration challenge, to create something inspired by the photo they posted. The teal & yellow color scheme, with a pop of black, appealed to me, so I based my card on that. I used Sketch #SC562 from Splitcoaststampers for my design.

I stamped the gumball machine from Lawn Fawn's "Sweet Smiles" set on a piece of Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper, using Versafine Onyx Black ink, and clear heat embossed it. After stamping some of the faces from "Sweet Smiles" & heat embossing them, I colored the image with my Zig Clean Color pens & a damp paintbrush.

For the background, I pulled out my new-to-me "Plaid Background Builder" stamp set by My Favorite Things. I stamped the background pattern with Hero Arts inks in Lemon Yellow, Butter Bar, & Soft Pool. That was actually the longest part of the whole card process. Yes, I could have used patterned paper, but I like to do this sort of thing every so often! :)

Once I had my background done, I assembled my card. I cut 2 pieces of pool-colored cardstock to the dimensions in the sketch, and adhered them to my background panel. I stamped the greeting, also from "Sweet Smiles," on a strip of yellow cardstock, and adhered it & the focal panel in place. Finally, I mounted my card front to a white A2 card base.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Send a Smile 4 Kids: "CAS Cards 4 Kids"

Virginia's View Challenge #22: "All About Colors"

In Our Hearts

My mom came into the craft room where I was working the other day, and said she needs a sympathy card. The assistant principal at the school where my mom teaches had lost her brother suddenly. I know sympathy cards can tend to be rather subdued, but I feel that there is nothing wrong with adding some bright pops of color. The occasion is somber enough as it is. Bright colors might just help provide a lift the card recipient needs.

The inspiration for my card came from this card I found through Pinterest. I used both the "Hummingbird" & "Fuchsia 2" stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs. I stamped them on 2 scraps of Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper, using Delicata Golden Glitz ink. I actually stamped the bird first in Versafine Onyx Black, but the image is relatively solid, and with all that black, it just looked a bit "heavy." I decided to go for a cloisonne look, hence the gold ink. After stamping, I heat embossed both images with Recollections Clear Detail embossing powder. I die cut the hummingbird with its coordinating die, and used a Spellbinders "Floral Ovals" die to cut the fuchsia panel. I then colored both images with my Zig Clean Color pens.

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder (sorry, but it's not labeled, and I don't know the name) to emboss a panel of mint cardstock. I cut off a 3/8" strip from the bottom, and then cut off another 3/4" strip. I kept the narrower strip, and just recycled the second one.

For the greeting, I sized one from Doodle Pantry's "Sweet Sympathy Sentiments" to fit in a 3/4"-high space, with a bit of room above & below. I positioned it on a blank A2-size "canvas" in Photoshop, and printed it directly onto the front of a white card base. I used Scor-tape to adhere pieces of craft foam to the backs of my embossed panel & strip, and then adhered them to my card base, above and below the greeting. I used Perfect Paper Adhesive to glue my oval to the card front, and foam tape to pop up the hummingbird.

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Our Daily Bread Designs: "Anything that Grows...with ODBD"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"
Craft Your Passion Challenges: "Anything Goes"
Virginia's View Challenge #22: "All About Colors"

Floral Sympathy Card

A friend of mine recently lost her husband, quite suddenly & unexpectedly. So I made this sympathy card to send to her. My inspiration came from this card that I found on Pinterest.

I started by stamping one of the "Sweet William" flowers (apparently discontinued) by Our Daily Bread Designs several times on white cardstock. I used Memento dye inks in Angel Pink & Lulu Lavender for some, and second-generation stamping with Hero Arts Soft Lilac for the rest. I fussy cut them out, and set those aside while I worked on the rest of the card.

For the background, I cut a piece of green cardstock to 4x5.25". I embossed it with a Cuttlebug embossing folder (sorry, but I don't know the name). I thought the swirls in this particular folder looked like vines--perfect for my floral theme!

I used a greeting from Doodle Pantry's "Sweet Sympathy Sentiments" set, and printed it on a banner I'd cut from pink parchment paper.

To assemble the card, I arranged the flowers on the background panel, without gluing any down. I used a piece of Press 'n Seal to pick them up as a group, and applied glue to the backs of most of them. I flipped the Press 'n Seal over, and laid the still-stuck flowers on my background. I let that set for a couple of seconds, then CAREFULLY peeled up the Press 'n Seal, leaving the flowers glued to the panel. I took 3 flowers, and popped them up on foam tape. I then cut away the green cardstock where it peeked out behind the flowers in the corner.

After rounding the upper right corner with my 1/2" Corner Chomper, I adhered my panel to a piece of lavender cardstock, cut to 4.25x5.5". After popping my greeting banner on foam tape, I mounted my card front to a white A2 card base, and rounded the top right corner. I fussy cut the bottom left corner, following the flowers, just for a different look. I also cut off the overhanging portions of the flowers on the left & bottom edges. Finally, I added dots of White Opal Liquid Pearls to the centers of the flowers.

I'm entering my card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: "Anything Goes"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"
Craft Your Passion: "Anything Goes"
Our Daily Bread Designs: "Add Dimension or Pop It Up"

Silver Bells

The challenge at Merry Monday this week has been to use Blue, Gold, and Silver/White on your card. I must admit, I struggled with this a bit. I know silver & gold can be used together, but there's just something about it that seems a bit off to me. But I think I managed OK! :)

I decided to use the sketch from the Stella Says Sketch #410 challenge at Catch the Bug for my design:

I began with my focal image, the "Christmas - Bells" from Bugaboo Stamps. I decided to combine painting with a bit of paper piecing. After sizing the image in Photoshop, I printed it onto a piece of Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper. I also printed a reverse image of just the bells onto the backs of silver foil cardstock from Die Cuts with a View, and light blue & dark blue shimmer cardstocks (from my stash). I cut the bell pieces out, and set them aside while I painted the rest of the image with my Zig Clean Color pens & a water brush. I also used a silver glitter gel pen to color in some of the spaces on the hanger in the bells image. I then glued the silver and blue pieces in place. I used the outside of the largest of Spellbinders' "Classic Ovals LG" dies as a template to trace an oval around the image. Finally, I cut it out with my scissors, and erased the pencil lines.

For the background, I cut a piece of navy cardstock to 4.25x5.5". I die cut the bottom edge with one of the "Stitched Borders 1" dies from Pretty Pink Posh, and trimmed the panel down to 4.75" high. I cut two 1/2" strips from the light blue shimmer cardstock I'd used for the bells, and adhered them to the top & bottom of a white A2 card base. I adhered my navy panel in place, and then it was time to determine what to do about the strips in the sketch.

I ended up cutting two 7/8" wide strips of silver foil cardstock, and a 1/2" and two 1/4" wide strips of gold. I adhered the wider gold strip in the middle of the navy panel, and positioned and glued down the narrower strips. Finally, I adhered the silver strips, centered between each pair of gold. I adhered my focal panel, & added some silver Stickles around the perimeter of the oval. I put some dots of gold Stickles over the berries in the image, and along the scalloped border.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug Challenge Blog: "Anything Goes"
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: "Anything Goes"
Through the Craft Room Door: "Anything Goes"
Craft Your Passion: "Anything Goes"